Ritalin: Drug's History and How Schools Benefit from Its Prescriptions

When George Still first described the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 1902, no one suspected the controversy it would unleash almost a hundred years later. The release of Ritalin to the market in 1957 would take over 30yrs to catch on, but once caught, what a fire it proved to be.

Something interesting happened in 1990; the Education of all Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) from 1975, was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with some amendments attached to it. With the passing of the act, public schools were authorized money for each disabled child in the district. They had already been given money per student, but the money for disabled children was far greater, up to more than twice as much.

With the passing of IDEA, a dangerous combination was in the works; ADHD was a disability and was easily diagnosed with little effort, drug companies had a marketable drug to combat the symptoms of ADHD, and public schools were being pressured to improve grade performance but also needed more cash flow. Added to the brew was a generation of parents who were working harder for less reward and who were desperate for an easier way to raise their children.

Now enter, everyone's miracle cure, Ritalin.

Ritalin was the gift that kept on giving; drug companies experienced record profits, teachers had a way to combat disorderly students, schools had the means to extra cash, and parents were given new children who were less rambunctious and were suddenly getting better grades; life was good.

Then, slowly but surely, whispers of corruption, lies, and even death began to emerge.

It turned out that Ritalin wasn't too far a cry from cocaine; the similarities were actually somewhat frightening. Although some health officials stated that Ritalin was ok because it worked more slowly, therefore the addictive nature of cocaine was not an issue; this did nothing to prevent Ritalin from being given the surname of Kiddie Cocaine. Doctors were quick to prove that Ritalin was not addictive and certainly would not lead to other dependencies later in life, but the public wasn't listening at this point; kids were actually dying from the stuff. In one case, parents tried to warn doctors that Ritalin was causing their son pain, but the doctors encouraged them to keep the child on the drug; Matthew W. Smith died of a heart attack at the age of 14 after taking Ritalin for over eight years.

With the success of Ritalin, psychotropic drug prescriptions for teens in general increased 250% between 1994 and 2001.

Today, the controversy is still alive and well. While cases such as Diane Mary Booth are rare and extreme, parents all over the country fear that if they do not agree to medicate their children at the request of a public school teacher, they may have a loved one taken.

At the heart of the matter is the fact that ADHD really is a medical condition, there really are children who can be helped by these mind-altering drugs. But is it proper to reward public schools for the diagnoses of symptoms that could so easily just be children being children? Is it proper for teachers to threaten parents to submit to the diagnoses or have their children removed from them?

The controversy hasn't gone away, the public has simply heard about it so often they've become somewhat numb to the issue. And besides, the media is busy reporting on more important things, like Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.

http://drugrehabgeorgia.com/info.htm?3, history of Ritalin and ADHD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuals_with_Disabilities_Education_Act, highlights of IDEA including the renaming of EAHCA

http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com/adhd/public_schools_benefit.asp, a breakdown of money given for children with disabilities

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/addiction/issues/ritalin.cfm, similarities of Ritalin and cocaine

http://www.drugfreeworld.org/factsaboutdrugs/kiddiecoke.html, Kiddie Cocaine

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/gca?sendit=Get+All+Checked+Abstract(s)&SEARCHID=1041880066942_4290&FULLTEXT=stimulant&VOLUME=111&ISSUE=1&JOURNALCODE=&FIRSTINDEX=0&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&gca=111/1/179&gca=111/1/97, studies showing that Ritalin was not an addictive drug

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/feb/11/health.medicineandhealth, Ritalin deaths climb

http://www.ritalindeath.com/Free-Press.htm, one example of Ritalin victim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoactive

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060103114004.htm

http://kidjacked.com/conspiracy/booth/human_resources_testimony.asp, the story of Diane Mary Booth